Tompkins: Texas' state parks facing budget shortfalls

Updated 9:58 pm, Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Photo: Chase Fountain, TPWD

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Texas Parks and Wildlife Department DRY HOLE: Visitation-driven revenue to Texas state parks has shriveled as this year's drought evaporated lakes and rivers, leaving the state parks system facing severe budget shortfalls that could trigger further cuts in staff and even force the temporary closure of some of the system's 94 sites.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department DRY HOLE: Visitation-driven revenue to Texas state parks has shriveled as this year's drought evaporated lakes and rivers, leaving the state parks system facing severe budget

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PUSHING PARKS: With Texas state parks facing severe funding problems associated with impacts of the drought, TPWD officials are encouraging Texans to visit the parks as well as donate money to help address a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PUSHING PARKS: With Texas state parks facing severe funding problems associated with impacts of the drought, TPWD officials are encouraging Texans to visit the parks as well

Even in the best of times, Texas' perpetually underfunded state parks system walks a fiscal razor's edge.

Now, after being tripped by a series of legislative moves and natural events, the parks system finds itself teetering on that edge and facing the unpleasant consequences of a fall - a fall that stands to negatively impact the millions of Texans who see state parks as gateways to outdoor recreation they consider crucial to their quality of life.

Wobbled by the Texas Legislature's cut to its already bare-bones appropriations and further saddled with what now appear overly optimistic projections for self-generated revenue from park visitation, the state parks system faces a multimillion-dollar budget deficit that could force further reductions in staff, park services, hours of operation and, perhaps, even temporary closure of some of the system's 94 sites.

The funding problems facing state parks are a result of a convergence of a tough economic climate and even tougher weather.

The Texas Legislature earlier this year cut TPWD's 2011-12 and 2012-13 budgets by 21 percent, with the state parks division seeing an 8 percent cut - this on top of budget cuts ordered during the 2010-11 fiscal year.

Those parks funding cuts were made from state general sales tax revenues that account for about half of the parks division's $69 million annual appropriation. The other half of the parks division funding comes from revenue the parks generate through entry fees, campsite fees and other fees paid by park visitors.

The Legislature included language in the appropriations bill that would allow TPWD to annually spend as much as $3 million above its parks division appropriation if the agency collects more park fees than the state comptroller projected.

But if parks don't generate revenue in excess of projections, the agency stands to lose as many as 60 parks division staff positions and make other cuts in park operations.

Also, the parks division's already-reduced annual appropriations includes $1.6 million that the Legislative Budget Board estimated will be generated annually through a new program allowing Texans to make voluntary donations to state park operational funding when they register a new motor vehicle or renew a vehicle registration.

The legislation (House Bill 1301) creating that voluntary donation to state parks takes effect Jan. 1. Under the bill, the form for obtaining or renewing motor vehicle registration will include an option for adding $5 or more to the fee, with the additional money going directly to TPWD for use only in funding state park operations.

The estimate of $1.6 million a year in donations was based on money generated through a similar program in the state of Washington.

To generate that as yet unrealized $1.6 million already built into TPWD's budget, at least 320,000 Texans will have to donate $5 when they register their vehicles. If the new program generates less than $1.6 million in voluntary contributions - certainly possible for a new program with which Texans are unfamiliar - TPWD will have to reduce its spending by any shortfall.

In drier straits

The larger problem facing TPWD comes from the shortfall in rain and the effects of the record-setting drought and associated problems.

As drought and record heat gripped Texas this past year, state park visitation plummeted, taking millions of dollars with it.

Access to water-based recreation - swimming, fishing and boating - is a huge draw to state parks; seven of the 10 state parks generating the most revenue are water-based parks.

This year, the drought dropped water levels so low in many of those lakes and waterways that water-based recreation was rendered impossible. Visitation dried up with the water.

Then there were the wildfires that scorched three popular state parks - Davis Mountains, Possum Kingdom and Bastrop - forcing temporary closure of the sites. Ninety-six percent of Bastrop State Park, one of the most popular and most economically viable parks, was burned in early September. The park reopened earlier this month, but visitation and revenue will be much reduced.

While autumn has brought cooler temperatures and some rain, the drought continues. And so does the drop in state park visitation. Through September and October, the first two months of the 2012 fiscal year, state park revenue was more than $715,000 below the same months in 2010.

A call for help

TPWD officials are understandably worried. Unless things turn around - the drought breaks, spring and summer bring mild or at least tolerable temperatures that trigger Texans' return to their state parks and revenue meets, then exceeds projections on which the parks division's budget was based - the agency faces some hard decisions.

"We're concerned that if the drought continues, the funding gap will just get larger," Boruff said.

The situation has TPWD turning to Texans for help. The agency has kicked off a campaign soliciting tax-deductible donations that will be dedicated solely to state park funding. Information on the donation program can be found on the agency website, tpwd.state.tx.us.

TPWD also is looking to educate Texans about the new state parks donation option associated with vehicle registration and encouraging participation.

"But the best thing Texans who care about state parks can do is to visit their state parks," Boruff said.